It hurts sometimes
by BB-lover14
Summary: Castle and Beckett are chasing a suspect when something bad happens. What does this mean for the both of them? Some Angst and lots of fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N The inspiration for this story came to me while I was asleep. I hope you enjoy it.**

One second Kate was running down the hall after our suspect, the next she was flat on her back. We had come to arrest Jake Jefferies for the murder of his ex-wife. Everything had been going well until Jake decided to bolt. Kate took chase gun drawn and at the ready, I ran behind. I didn't have time to warn her , to tell her to stop before Jake swung the heavy fire door back at her. There was a awful noise of bone colliding with metal before I saw her fall. All I could do was scream her name as she fell to the cold unforgiving ground. I couldn't care that Jake was making his escape in front of me as I ran to her side. I fell to my knees next to her and reached out to fell her pulse. It was weak and thready but it was there, I release the breath I had been holding. She has a line of blood trickling down her forehead from a cut she has sustained. I run my hand gently down her face as I call for the ambulance. She needs to wake up now, I say her name a couple of times as I caress her face. Her eyelids begin to flutter and she lets out a small groan. Her eyes blink open and in a flash they close again. She whispers my name..

"Castle"

"Hey Kate it's me your okay."

"It hurts".

"I know Kate we will get you to the hospital soon."

I hear a commotion behind me, I hope that it is the paramedics come to help. I turn my head slightly and see two paramedics walking towards me with all of their medical kit. A few steps behind them is Esposito and Ryan, they look concerned as they make their way to me. Kate has closed her eyes again, the darkness has overtaken her once again.

The paramedics kneel down next to Kate, but I'm in their way. It takes Ryan and Esposito to move me out of the way. While the paramedics work on stabilising Beckett, the boys talk to me. I don't make eye contact with them all I can look at is Kate.

"Hey Castle how did this happen man?"

Castle is still looking away but he does answer, if some what quietly.

" We had come to arrest Jake and he bolted. We set off in a chase and he escaped through the fire exit. He flung the door back so hard that she didn't have a chance to see it. She went down before I could warn her of the danger. She went down so hard, the noise of bone meeting metal echoes in my head and I can't get it out. I should have been closer, I should of ran faster to keep up, I should of….."

" Castle don't you dare blame yourself, you did everything you could. She is going to be fine, Beckett has got a strong head you'll see."

I suddenly hear a noise that makes my heart miss a beat, it is like the feeling of silk to my ears. She is awake again and saying my name. I leave the boys and head back over to her, as I get closer her green orbs find mind. My chest constricts and I miss a breath. I can tell she is in a lot of pain, but the way that she is looking at me right now has me transfixed to the spot. She is being strapped on to a spinal board as a precaution but she looks so scared. The neck brace being Velcro'd shut, the head blocks being placed on she can't move anything but her hands now. Her left hand reaches out into the empty space next to her, she is trying to find something to hold on something to give her support. I get as close as I can and take that hand into the safety of mine. The deep brow lines on her forehead relax, she gives me the smallest smile. Blink and you would miss it but not me I always see it. Once they are sure that she is securely fastened on, the paramedics lift up the board on which she is laying and place it on their trolley.

They wheel her to the ambulance carefully, I never loosen my grip not once. Her eyes fight to stay open the concussion finally taking it's control back once again. The flow of blood from her cut has stopped but the trail it has left looks like a bloodstained river down her face. They lift her into the ambulance and I have to let go for a spilt second. The warmth of her skin against mine disappears in a second.

"Sir you can't come with us, you will have to follow behind."

This is what the paramedic says as he begins to shut the doors, his colleague has gone to the front and has started the engine.

"I'm not leaving her, I'm her partner we stick together that's what we do."

I'm not leaving her, I need to be by her side for my own sanity. It may just be a concussion and cut to them but to me it is the scariest thing I had experienced since that fateful day. I nearly lost her then, a spilt second in time almost took her away from me. The paramedic seems to either understand or he doesn't want to start a fight because he steps to the side and lets me in. I hear Esposito and Ryan shout that they will follow behind in their squad car as the doors close. I sit next to the trolley in the back and retake my grip on her hand. This causes her to open her eyes….

"Hey Castle."

It comes out as merely a whisper.

"Hey yourself."

"Did we catch Jeff?"

"Yes the boys did, they handed him over to a uniformed officer and came straight back to see you."

"Are they going to question him back at the station? I would do it myself but I have a slight headache."

This makes me chuckle, always thinking of the case first before her self.

" I bet you do Kate, you took quite a hit from that door. The boys are following behind, someone else will interview the suspect."

"They should do it, why are the following us instead I'm fine. It doesn't hurt that much."

She tries to shift in the head blocks and she hits the bruised part of her head against the unforgiving plastic restraints. She lets out a gasp at the contact, then a hiss. The medic gives her a gas drug to suck on called Entanox when she finally admits that it hurts.

" They are following us because they care about you Kate. You are like a big sister to them and they hate it when you are hurt. So do I."

The last bit comes out in a whisper and I can't resist leaning forward and brushing a piece of stray hair away that has fallen over one of her eyes. Once again they meet mine and I am mesmerised by them. She begins to close her eyes….

"Ma'am I need you to keep your eyes open for me please."

They flutter open again and she strangely begins to chuckle to her self. I give her a confused look which causes the chuckling to increase. I look over at the medic for help, is this a problem caused by the accident. Does this mean it was more serious than I thought. The medic gives me a sympathetic look and explains…..

"The gas I have given her to suck on is laughing gas, it relaxes the body takes the patient's mind of the pain. Laughing is one of the side effects nothing to worry about sir."

At this I start to chuckle too, I thought she was having a serious problem related to the accident. Before I know it the ambulance comes to a slow stop and the back doors open. I have to release her hand again as she is wheeled into the ER. I know I can't follow her past a certain point so I stand and wait for them to come and get me.

**A/N The next chapter will hopefully be up soon, but i need some encouragement. So please review. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thank you for all the story alerts, favourites and the reviews. This chapter is dedicated to Erika who encourages me to write and gives me ideas when i have writers block and Audrey who gives me constructive criticisms to help me write better stories.

I have been standing in the same spot for what feels like forever but in reality has been about 15 minutes. My eyes are transfixed on the doors that leads into the treatment area. Kate is in there and I'm helpless because I can't go through yet. I just want to hold her hand and reassure myself that she is okay. Someone comes to a stop next to me, and I feel a hand placed on my shoulder. I look to my left and discover Ryan standing there. He too is just staring at those white double automatic doors that lead to the back. Neither of us talk we just stand in a comfortable silence, our thoughts going over time. It's not long before Esposito appears in front of me. He looks out of breath and pained, he must of parked the cruiser and ran in.

"How is she Castle?"

I feel sorry for the boys, Kate is like a sister to them it must kill them that she is back in hospital again. During those summer months they worked all hours of the day and night trying to find that sniper. They missed important family events because they wanted to catch the son of a bitch who hurt their Kate.

They both have their gazes fixed on me, waiting for the good news that they are so desperate to hear.

" I really don't know they gave her some gas and air in the ambulance for the pain, then they took her through those doors. No one has come out yet to give me a update."

Ryan looks deflated and takes his phone out of his pocket.

"I'll be back in a minute."

With this he begins to walk back towards the main entrance.

"Hey Ryan" I shout " Where you going?"

He looks back over his shoulder, phone already to his ear and replies….

" Some one has to inform Gates of what has happened, and I'm telling her that Esposito and Myself are taking the rest of the day off."

With this he is gone and I turn my attention back to those doors. Esposito has gone while I was talking to Ryan I can only presume to get that horrible engine oil hospital coffee or to ring Lanie. After all it is her best friend that she saw die and come back to life in her grasp that is now back in the hospital. I think about ringing Mother and Alexis, but I know that there has been tension between Alexis and Kate since the shooting. She has a valid reason to be mad at me but not to be mad at Kate. Kate didn't ask me to lunge in front of that bullet for her. Kate didn't ask me to love her, these are all my choices. I text Mother instead and tell her not to worry but Kate is in hospital but that she will be fine even though I can't convince myself of that fact yet. I tell her not to come that we will be fine and I will speak to her later. A few minutes later a my phone vibrates in my jacket pocket. A new text from Mother shows up on my screen and all it says is ' hang in there son, I'll be there in a bit'. I knew that she would ignore the bit about not coming here but in a way it is comforting to think that she cares about Kate.

...

30 minutes later Ryan and Esposito are back and have convinced me to sit down on the hard hospital chairs. A lukewarm horrid tasting cup of coffee is grasped in my hands. The cup giving off a little heat in my hands. Still no news and I am beginning to feel a bit angsty we all are. Ryan had managed to persuade Gates to give them the rest of the day off so they could wait for news of their boss, friend and sister. The sound of heels on a hard flat surfaces resonates in my ears and as I look up I find Lanie standing directly in front of me. She takes the now cold coffee out of my grasp and places it on the table in front of me. She then by holding on to my biceps pulls me up out of my chair and into a massive engulfing hug. I'm not sure if this hug is for my benefit or it is for her. She finally lets me go and goes to speak, I shake my head. I know what she is going to ask before it even leaves her lips, she wants to know if there has been any news. She understands that there hasn't been and takes the now vacated seat next to me. Surely they will come out and tell us soon. I have tried my Castle charm but the receptionist was having none of it. She said we had to wait and that we weren't family. She got a bit of a earful of Ryan and Esposito for that comment., even that didn't do the trick.

Finally a lady in her 40's dressed in a white coat appears through the doors.

"Family of Kate Beckett."

I am up heading towards her before she can finish that sentence. Ryan, Esposito and Lanie are not far behind me.

" I'm Richard Castle, Kate's partner. How is she?"

She doesn't even check what type of partner I am to Kate. I suspect that she has noticed the badges that Ryan and Esposito wear.

" Detective Beckett has a nasty cut to her forehead which has now been stitched and she has a concussion. She will need to be observed over the next 24 hours but scans show that she has not suffered any permanent brain damage. She will be released in the next hour if there is someone she can stay with? "

I don't even need to think it over…

"She can stay with me."

"Okay Mr Castle, she will need to be woken ever couple of hours and given a simple question test to insure her brain hasn't swelled. If you notice any speech impairments, blinding headaches, problems with eyesight or confusion you must bring her straight back in."

"I'm sure I can manage all of that. Thank you Doctor."

"You may all go through to see her as long as you keep the noise down. She has had quite a lot of painkillers so she may say some embarrassing things for the next couple of hours while they wear off. She has a prescription with her for some mild painkillers and she is to keep the head wound dry for a couple of days to allow it time to heal."

She shook my hand and left, I turned to Lanie and gestured for her to go first. She slapped me gently on the shoulder for my gentlemanly ways and went through the doors first. It didn't take us long to find Kate's room, we could hear her arguing with one of the nurses about the fact that she was fine. Lanie and the boys went in first, I lingered behind I wanted time to look her over and iterate to myself that she really was okay.

A/N I hope that was okay. Please review :D


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Thank you for still reading this. **

She is alive, she is safe, and I can't help but grin to myself. I haven't locked eyes with her yet but I know that she is looking directly at me. I can feel her eyes burning into my skin. I can hear everyone fussing around her, asking if she is okay if she needs anything. I can hear her tell them she is alright, her voice is like honey to my ears. I turn towards the bed and her eyes catch mine. We don't have to speak our eyes convey everything we could ever wish to say. I stroll forward slightly so I am just in front of the end of the bed. I lean down and gently touch her ankle through the blankets with my hand. Her smile widens at this and I can't help grinning back. As quickly as I put down my hand I take it away again as Lanie starts to explain the living arrangements for when Kate gets out. Her smile quickly disappears much to the amusement of everyone else. She strives for independence even with injuries and staying at mine takes that away. 

She fights us all on the topic of where her head will rest tonight for around 20 minutes before finally she starts to cave. I believe she is only agreeing because the painkillers are starting to kick in and the shock of the accident has begun to wear off. Her eyes lids start to droop, her head begins to loll to one side. The boys have taken their leave, they have said their best wishes and goodbyes and have headed home for the night. They have promised to visit tomorrow and catch her up on the case. Lanie also decided it is time to leave, she ensures that Kate has everything she needs and heads home. Before she leaves I do hear her outside the room talking to the doctor and thanking him for all of his help. Finally we have a chance to talk without everyone else bustling around us like bees in a hive. She opens her eyes again fighting against the tiredness she is feeling. We lock eyes again and all I can say is….. 

"Hey". 

She smirks back and parrots me although she says it with a raspy voice and it sounds so sexy.

" You scared me back there Kate. I thought you weren't going to….." 

I trail off unable to finish that sentence without losing myself in the idea that I may have lost her. I feel the tears prick at the corners of my eyes and I fight them back. She is giving me a small smile as she replies….. 

" You won't get rid of me that easy Castle, I have a thick skull don't you know." 

This makes me chuckle and lightens the mood at the same time. A small knock on the door takes my gaze away from her. The nurse soon pops her head round and in her hand she holds the discharge papers. She comes in and explains to Beckett everything the doctor told me outside about not being alone, keeping the wound dry and side effects. Beckett nods along before signing the papers and taking the prescription for painkillers. The nurse leaves us to it, Beckett in a rush to leave has shifted herself to the edge of the bed. As I turn back to her she steps down, her legs turn to jelly and she nearly falls. I rush forward and catch her around the waist with my hands on either side. A embarrassed smile covers her face. 

"Kate take it slow that is the first time you have stood up since you had a fight with the door, You are going to feel a bit weak and dizzy to begin with." 

She nods before allowing me to pull her into my side and wrap my arm around her back. I put the reasoning for this being allowed down to the painkillers. I pick up her bag from the table and we head out. The journey down the corridor is slow, Kate is quite sluggish and unwilling to move. I am tempted to lift her up bridal style and carry her out to the nearest cab but she would shoot me on the spot. So instead we take a slow stroll to the cab bay. 

We only have to wait a few minutes before a cab appears, I loosen my grip slightly and pull open the door. I help her step inside before getting in myself. I give the driver the address to the loft and he pulls into the traffic. Kate is now leaning against the door of the cab, her arm up by the window being used as a cushion for her head. She mumbles something into her arm and I don't quite catch it. She says it again but loud enough for me to hear her this time. 

"Stop staring Castle it's creepy and thank you." 

I won't even try denying the staring part because I can't take my eyes off her. Even with a cut and lump on her forehead she has never looked more beautiful. I hear the soft noise of snoring and realise she has fallen asleep. It only takes another five minutes to reach the loft, as we pull up outside James the doorman comes to help me. I pay the driver and hop out round the other side. James opens the door gently as I get one of my arms under Kate's legs and the other round her back. I lift her out bridal style and head towards the lobby doors. James reaches them before me and calls for a elevator. I thank him and remind myself to give him a generous tip tomorrow before stepping into the elevator with her tucked up safely in my arms. I'm surprised she hasn't woken up yet, the days events have finally caught up with her. I know I will have to wake her once we get to the apartment but for now I am happy to hold her close. She shifts in my arms and buries her face unconsciously into my shoulder. It sounds strange but from this angle I am able to breath in her delectable scent of cherries. It takes me back a couple of years to the Vampire case, and I can't resist smiling at how far we have come since then. 

**To be continued…..**

**A/N What did you think? please review. I am unable to get around much at the moment so updates should be more regular.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n sorry this a short kind of filler chapter. Dedicated to Erika my beta.**

My arms are starting to ache, my muscles are screaming at me but I don't want to put her down yet. The elevator reaches my floor and I stumble out towards my front door. I try to work out how to get the door open with out dropping her, the key is in my back pocket which I can't reach. I hear the click of a door and look up to find my mother standing in the doorway. I don't understand how she knew I was out here. She seems to notice my confusion… 

"James called up, he said you might need some help. He told me you were holding a large package. I didn't think he meant I would open the door and find you holding Kate in your arms." 

"I…. ummm she is hurt and she fell asleep so I carried her up." 

"Richard you don't have to explain actions to me, I'm just glad she has you to look after her. Now come inside before you drop her or she wakes up and smacks you for carrying her.." 

Mother steps aside and lets me pass, I head into the living room straight away. I gently lower Beckett down on to the comfortable couch. As I go to step away I realise she still has a fistful of my T shirt grasped in her hand. Her fingers are clenched together so much that it is hard to pry them apart. I take a look around and notice my mother has returned to her room. I gently stroke her right cheek while calling her name. I figure the only way to get her to let go is to wake her and I need to check that she is okay. The nurse scared me in the hospital when she ran through all the possible side effects of a co concussion. Kate lets out a small sleepily moan before her eyes begin to flutter open. The harshness of the lights causes her to quickly shut them again. Seconds later she is looking up at me then at her hand and repeating the action a couple more times. She blushes red before quickly releasing her hand of the death grip she had on my shirt. I go to make a witty comment when she says… 

"Don't Castle and how did I get here?" 

I instantly cover both my ears with my hands, she rolls her eyes at this. The problem is the eye rolling makes her feel dizzy so she soon regrets the decision. She leans her self back against the couch and takes a few deep breaths. When she recovers she is still waiting for an answer. 

"You feel asleep in the cab so I carried you up and well here we are." 

She stares me down for a couple of minutes before her eyelids begin to droop again. 

"Come on Kate lets get you into bed before you end up crashing out on the couch." 

She mumbles "But I like it here, it is warm and cosy." 

I let out a chuckle she is so cute when she is sleepy. I go to pick her up again but this time she stands up herself. I head her towards my bedroom. It will be easier for her to stay down here tonight no stairs to contend with and I can sleep on the couch in the office so I can be there to wake her up every couple of hours. She is determined to walk on her own so I stand close behind watching her as she sways slightly with every step. Once we are standing before my bed she seems to register where we now are and she announces….. 

"Castle this is not the guest room, I can't stay in here." 

"You can and you will Kate. Now take a seat and I'll grab you some clothes to use as pyjamas." 

She surprising does as I say, she sits on the edge of the bed and starts to twiddle her fingers together while I grab her a T-shirt and pair of clean boxers out of the dresser. I pass them over to her and cheekily ask her if she needs any help. She tells me in my dreams so I give her a wink and I begin to tell her about how in my dreams this would go differently. She just simply lifts up her right arm points at the door and shouts out. I get the generally idea so I leave her too it. I grab some sheets, a couple of pillows from the linen cupboard and set up the couch in the office into a makeshift bed. I give her about ten minutes before I knock lightly on the door to my bedroom. 

"How you doing in there Kate?" 

I don't get a response so I cover my eyes and slowly stick my head round the door. 

"Kate you alright?" 

Still I get no response I take my hand away from my eyes and I am warmed by the sight before me. She has managed to get changed and then no further. She is sprawled out across the bed on top of the covers fast asleep. I haven't got the heart to wake her so I manoeuvre the sheets around her and gently slide her legs under. Making sure she looks comfortable I leave her be and bunk down on my bed for the night. Close enough to hear her but not so close that I suffocate her with my caring. However I know sleep won't come easy tonight.

**A/N If you are reading this I love you. Please review. Next chapter up tomorrow or wednesday hopefully. It will be longer.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Thank you to all those who have favourite and alerted this story. Onto the next chapter...**

My alarm goes off, blaring in the quietness of the night. I fling my hand on to it to drown out the awful noise. It didn't wake me, I have been tossing and turning for hours. Every time I close my eyes I am confronted by the image of Kate laying on the ground. It is a combination of both times I have kneeled next to her when she is sprawled out on the harsh ground. I had dreams about the shooting for months, they plagued my mind. It used to wake me every time, I would call out for her just as I had done when I saw the glint of the snipers scope. I would wake up in a state of distress, beads of sweat would be running down my skin. In the dream I was unable to get to her in time, she bleed to death in my arms every night. Alexis had heard me scream out one night, I had woken up to find my daughter curled up in the chair next to my bed, her face covered with the remnants of dried tears. She told me she had tried to wake me the first time I shouted out that night. She told me that I didn't wake up so she just curled up in the chair hoping that her presence would bring me comfort. I was shocked that it was no longer effecting just me, I had dragged my whole family into my horror. Alexis had seen me jump in front of that bullet, she had seen the fight leave Kate's body before they put her in the ambulance. It was something that a 17 year old should not have seen, god nobody should have been witness to it. From that first night of Alexis being aware, if the dream came again, I would wake up to find my daughter curled up next to me. It was something we hadn't done since she was a child but it was her way of dealing with it herself as well as helping me. 

The thing that had made those summer months hard was even though I knew she was alive and recovering I couldn't see her. After a dream all I wanted to do was see, hear and touch her just to prove that the dream was a lie. I couldn't she had left me with the promise that she would call, she never did. The dreams had started to fade after that day on the swings, they became less frequent. Seeing her every day allowed my mind to be a rest, allowed it to see that she was very much alive. Now I rarely have that dream, but tonight after the day we had it was trying to creep back into my mind. I can't let it back in, I need to refocus she is fine, we are fine. I feel something run down my chin, I brush my fingers over the spot and they come up wet. I realise I have been crying, time to man up Castle I tell myself. My alarm begins to make a awful racket again, I look at the time it says 2am. It takes me a minute but suddenly my brain switches into gear, Kate, I have to check on Kate. 

I push myself up to a sitting position, my head held in my hands. I run my hand through my hair and I brush away the last evidence of tears. She mustn't know about the dreams, she has had enough to deal with. She doesn't need my problems piled on top of her own. I pull the blanket off my lap and stand up. I stretch out my muscles, it may be a nice couch but it is a bit cramped. Now I have to decided how to wake her up, she probably not going to like being woken in the first place. I would leave her to sleep if it wasn't vital to check for increasing pressure on the brain. I yawn one more time before heading towards my bedroom door. As I get closer I can hear the soft delicate sounds of her snoring on the other side. 

I knock on the wood a couple of times hoping that it will stir her from her slumber. I wait a few seconds but all I can hear is snoring. This means that I have to go in, I slowly push open the door and stick my head round. I hope that she is awake and looking at me, atlas I find this not to be true. She is in the middle of the bed, laying on her front her head sideways on the pillow. Her head is tilted away from the door towards the window, the moonlight streams through the gap in the curtains. It frames her face perfectly, she looks free of stress, worry and she looks peaceful. I always thought that she would be a light sleeper being a cop but tonight it appears not to be true. Maybe it is down to the painkillers she has taken, maybe it is from the concussion. I call out her name as I make my way to the bed, the only responds is a slight movement. It was more like a twitch than a signal of her waking up. I go round the side of the window and call her name once again. It still doesn't rouse her from her slumber. 

On to plan B then, I lower myself gently onto the edge of the bed careful not to sit on her foot which is peeking out from under the covers. I reach over and brush a piece of stray hair out of her eyes. My hand lingers on her cheek for longer than is probably acceptable for just partners. 

"Kate time to wake up." 

I brush my hand over the top of her back, the sheets cover her from the middle down. Her top has ridden up slightly and I find it hard not to stare at the cream expanse of her back. I got to run my hand over that area while checking for needle marks during a case once. 

"Kate come on now, I just need to talk to you for a minute." 

My fingers are now trailing circular patterns over her back. She begins to stir beneath my hand, she shifts her position slightly and pushes her face into the pillow. 

"Ouch." 

For a second I don't register the word, it was spoken so softly. She repeats it again and I realise that were she moved her head she has rammed her bump/cut into the pillow. I can't help but chuckle at this, as I'm laughing I hear her mumble into the pillow… 

"Not funny Castle." 

"Sorry Beckett I couldn't resist, how are you feeling?" 

She rolls on to her back and on to my hand. I try to pull it out before she notices, but she works it out before I can. She starts to speak with her eyes still closed, it comes out almost as a whisper…. 

"Rick is that your hand I'm laying on?" 

I'm quite glad her eyes are still closed because as she rolled and my hand got trapped it dragged me forward. If she was to open her eyes she would get a shock as I am now leaning over her. My other hand is supporting my weight so I don't fall on her. Ours faces are within nearly touching distance. 

"Nope that is not my hand" 

" You are such a liar Castle, I can feel your fingers moving." 

At this point she opens her eyes, I am still trapped in the same position. Confusion over takes her as I stare into her beautiful green orbs. 

"Hi" 

It is all I can manage to spit out, I'm so close I can feel her breath on my cheek. All it would take is to lean down a couple of inches and our mouths would be touching. Those luscious lips could be skimming across mine, her breath mingling with mine. Her hand would tangle in my hair as she pulled me closer still. Our bodies would be pressed together, I would brush my hand over her bare skin. 

"Rick!"

I shake myself out of my daydream, she is giving me one of those looks but it is tinted with something else. I can't place it, it almost looks like passion. Her cheeks are turning a light shade of pink. She lifts her back slightly and it allows me to pull my hand out from underneath her. I push myself up to a sitting position, I miss the closeness of our last position already. I repeat my previous question….. 

"How are you feeling, how is the head?" 

" I would be better if you hadn't woke me up" 

"Hey you know the rules, you heard what the doctor said about checking for increased pressure on the brain." 

She rolls her eyes at me, then gives me a small smile. 

"Can you tell me what year it is and who is the president?" 

"Fine I will play your game, it is 2012 and Obama is the president."

"Good girl, you may go back to sleep. I will be back to wake you in two hours."

This earns me another eye roll, she stops to think a minute. By this time I am standing up on my way to leave the room. Before I can move another step she has grabbed my left hand and is pulling me back towards her. I'm in shock so I just let her do it, she pulls me down, so I end up sitting on the edge of the bed again. I just turn and look at her, she gives me a shy smile and starts to explain her self. 

" Castle why don't you just stay in here with me for the rest of the night?" 

"I….ummm I."

I can't make a coherent thought right now as she pats the space next to her. She pulls the cover back and motions for me to get in. I do as I'm told I don't want to get on the wrong side of a sleepy Kate Beckett. I do however give her my best confused look. 

" It is easier this way, you don't have to sleep on the cramped sofa. Also when the next two hours are up you don't have to come far to wake me up."

I'm so stunned right now, she turns over on to her left side so that she is facing away from me. I just lay there in a rigid position on my back. I presume she has fallen back asleep when she says…..

" Relax Rick and go to sleep I'm not going to bite you."

Again I do as I am told and turn on to my side, I hear her breath even out and it is not long before sleep takes it's hold on me as well.

**A/N Did you like if so hit that review button just down there. Yes that's the one. New chapter up soon if people want it?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N now for the next chapter. Thank you for all the alerts :D This is dedicated to Erika my beta.**

I wake up to the feeling of someone caressing my cheek, they are running their fingers gently over the stubble. I hear them whispering things that I can't quite make out, I feign being asleep. I feel Kate gently place a feather like kiss to my forehead and this time I hear what she is saying. 

"Thank you Castle, I don't know what I would do without you." 

I wish that I could be properly awake to hear her say those words but I know that that would scare her off. I want to be able to tell her that she is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I want to hold her in my arms and never let her go. She removes her hand from my face and I feel the weight shift in the bed. A couple of seconds later I hear the bathroom door click shut, I release the breath I was holding. I just lay in the bed for a couple of minutes my mind going a mile a minute, dreams of what could be flash through my head. My dreams are interrupted by the opening of the door again, I open my eyes and transition them to the bright sunlight that is streaming through the window. I turn over onto my left side just as Kate steps out of the bathroom, Still wearing my clothes and her hair has been put up into a messy bun. I give her one of my best smiles. 

"Morning Beckett, How you feeling?" 

She smirks at me before unconsciously touching the bump on her forehead. 

"I'm okay, slight headache but I'll make it. The one thing that is annoying me is that I can't get my head wet for a couple of days. It means I can't wash my hair." 

She gives me a frown at the end of her speech, I know she hates having greasy and unruly hair. I wouldn't care if she was bald she is still beautiful to me. I push myself up to sitting as she sits down next to me, her feet at my hip, our knees just brushing each others. 

"Why does that matter Beckett, you got a big date you aren't telling me about later?" 

I simply get a eye roll response from her, she puts her hand up to her head again. 

"Kate you should take something for that headache, I will go and get you some Tylenol wait here." 

Before I can go to stand up her left hand is on my thigh, I suspect my cheeks are flaming a red colour right now. It is just a simple gesture between friends, but it felt like a electricity bolt was being shot through my body just from her touch. She seems oblivious to the reaction she has caused and her thumb begins to caress the skin it lays on as she speaks. 

"Castle you don't have to wait on me hand and foot, come on why don't we go get some breakfast." 

She pats my thigh before standing up and heading in the direction of the kitchen. I can't believe she is walking around my house in my clothes. I have to compose myself for a second before chucking on a pair of jogging bottoms over my boxers. I follow her out and find her already rooting through the cupboards for something to make. As she reaches for the top cupboard her shirt rides up and I am treated to the view of a strip of skin. I take a deep breath and push on into the kitchen, she hears me coming. 

"Castle do pancakes, bacon, eggs and strawberries sound like a good plan to you." 

"Beckett you don't have to cook, let me do that." 

She comes around to the other side of the counter and pushes me gently towards one of the bar stools. 

"Just sit down I want to do this, I really enjoy cooking but I don't get the chance to very often so let me have this please." 

"Fine if you insist" 

I sit down on the stool and watch her set to work. She grabs all the ingredients that she needs, sets them out on the side and then begins to set about her plan. I'm in awe transfixed on watching her as she moves about the kitchen. There is a comfortable silence as she gets on with the task and I just admire from afar. I end up dreaming again, I imagine her cooking breakfast as I bring the twins down from their room. I imagine setting them down in their highchairs while I go round to the other side and take Kate into my grasp. We share a passionate but reserved kiss before she sets about feeding our beautiful kids. 

I am shaken out of my dream by the sound of laughter coming from what seems to be in front of me. I look up and find Kate standing in front of me with Alexis by her side. They are both creased up with laughter and looking at me. It is actually quite adorable to see them getting along, they haven't seen eye to eye since Kate's shooting. I soon realise they are laughing at me and I wonder why. 

"Hey why are you two ganging up on me?" 

This causes them to laugh even more so much that Kate has tears running down her face. Finally Alexis calms down enough to speak. 

"Dad I have been calling your name for about five minutes and you didn't answer. Therefore Kate and myself decided to chuck chocolate chips at you to get your attention. Even that didn't work and it wasted valuable chocolate, what were you doing?" 

I look down and realise she is right there are loads of small chocolate chip pieces scattered around me, on the counter, on the floor and some caught in the creases of my top. I pick some of them up and shove them in my mouth and while my mouth is full I reply. 

" I was just thinking that is all, it's not that funny." 

I dramatise it with a big huff at the end and this sets them off again. I can't resist from joining in this time. Finally Kate calms down enough to set breakfast out on the counter, my mouth waters just looking at it. Last time she made breakfast here, I didn't get a chance to eat because Jordan got kidnapped. This time I am going to savour every second of it. Alexis sits down on my right side and tucks in, Kate settles on my left side and places her hand on my knee briefly and gives it a squeeze. I look at her and she gives me a beaming smile before making a start on her pancakes. I don't know what the knock to the head did to her yesterday but I love the touchy feely side of Kate that I have today.

**A/N Did you enjoy if so just let me know :D new chapter soon.**


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